Has my transmission grenaded? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter shoboat90
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- Thread starter
- #82
Not the actual photos of course, but the circled items were some of the places where the teeth were damn near ground smooth.
Exactly what has happened to mine, teeth were all gone in the places you circled. The needle bearing shown in the above picture stays inside the O/D planetary gears and is the culprit causing this destruction.
In your post 80, I see scar marks on the oil pump body which also appeared in mine:
No mater what way you decide to do, install an inline trans filter that has a magnet right after the external cooler to catch any leftover particles. I did this after driving first 250 miles (below 60 MPH to break in), then I cut open the filter, yes, there were still small metallic particles (from break in as well as some broken pieces still inside the tubes/cooler). OPTIONAL: I then dropped the pan, cleaned it and installed a new OEM strainer in the transmission with new 8 liters of fluid. along with a brand new inline filter again.
Install an OEM rear main seal and inspect the flex plate, if necessary, install an OEM flex plate.
In your post 80, I see scar marks on the oil pump body which also appeared in mine:
No mater what way you decide to do, install an inline trans filter that has a magnet right after the external cooler to catch any leftover particles. I did this after driving first 250 miles (below 60 MPH to break in), then I cut open the filter, yes, there were still small metallic particles (from break in as well as some broken pieces still inside the tubes/cooler). OPTIONAL: I then dropped the pan, cleaned it and installed a new OEM strainer in the transmission with new 8 liters of fluid. along with a brand new inline filter again.
Install an OEM rear main seal and inspect the flex plate, if necessary, install an OEM flex plate.
I’m still looking for a shop who knows how to rebuild the LC Transmissions.
That’s good advice
- Thread starter
- #86
you have an inline filter part number/recommendation?
I used Magnefine 3/8" inline filter. There are cheap but identical (no brand name) versions for 1/2 the price. Since It is anyway not too expensive, I went with Magnefine and the seller is also magnefine on ebay.
I used an old fuel filter bracket to mount it to the bolt on the frame right below the AC auxiliary cooler.
If it were me, and no reliable rebuilder with in reach- I’d crate it and send it off to a confirmed/vetted Toyota rebuilder-whoever comes highly recommended nationally- and has extended warranty. One of the long timers on the forum has to have a couple suggestions.
No affiliation but these guys seem to have a good reputation-(good reviews and no gaping wounds on BBB website) worth a look
Level 10 Toyota PTS Bulletproof Transmission A540E, U140E A340E, A341E, A350E, A650E, A750E, A343F
Level 10 Toyota PTS Bulletproof Transmission A540E, U140E A340E, A341E, A350E, A650E, A750E, A343F
www.levelten.com
I saw their ad. I wonder if anyone has experience with them.If it were me, and no reliable rebuilder with in reach- I’d crate it and send it off to a confirmed/vetted Toyota rebuilder-whoever comes highly recommended nationally- and has extended warranty. One of the long timers on the forum has to have a couple suggestions.
No affiliation but these guys seem to have a good reputation-(good reviews and no gaping wounds on BBB website) worth a look
Level 10 Toyota PTS Bulletproof Transmission A540E, U140E A340E, A341E, A350E, A650E, A750E, A343F
Level 10 Toyota PTS Bulletproof Transmission A540E, U140E A340E, A341E, A350E, A650E, A750E, A343Fwww.levelten.com
From google reviews they seemed to have good feedback. But after digging into their website I think their main focus is custom performance work (on Toyota) but it might be worth a call to them and find out if they would do a stock rebuild or maybe they could point you to another reputable national rebuilder
Same boat, but I caught it early enough that she's still running. Felt it vibrating in OD last week, started slipping 1-2, pretty much all in a day or so. Pulled pan this weekend and looks just like the OP's pan, full of parts lol. Replaced filter and 5qts of fluid, 1-2 shift is fine for now, drove all day yesterday and my 30 min commute to work this morning, everything seems ok, but i need to remember to turn OD OFF. This should let me limp around until I figure out what I'm going to do.
So, interested in what everyone else comes up with. 4-5K for a rebuild seems nuts, I'd like to see what the parts lists cost, and read through a service manual and see what it really takes to rebuild. I've built a 5spd manual before, and several engines, all are still working that I know of. So I'm tempted to try if I can do it for half.
So, interested in what everyone else comes up with. 4-5K for a rebuild seems nuts, I'd like to see what the parts lists cost, and read through a service manual and see what it really takes to rebuild. I've built a 5spd manual before, and several engines, all are still working that I know of. So I'm tempted to try if I can do it for half.
How many miles in your cruiser?
Where I rebuilt my trans, they charged me $3880 out the door (drop, parts, labor and installation including the rear main seal). I was pretty impressed with their work.. I noticed a significant improvement in the pulling power, but the mileage seems to drop about MPG: Before 16 MPG at 80 MPH and now 15.5 at same speed.
Where I rebuilt my trans, they charged me $3880 out the door (drop, parts, labor and installation including the rear main seal). I was pretty impressed with their work.. I noticed a significant improvement in the pulling power, but the mileage seems to drop about MPG: Before 16 MPG at 80 MPH and now 15.5 at same speed.
175k
That seems to be the ballpark price, parts seem to be about half that. I have trust issues. So I'll need to feel really good about handing it over.
Malleus
Far west of Siegen
I am going through my son's 2000 LX470 A343F now. The direct drive clutches are paper thin and the steels are scorched. Everything else looks OK. It had been slipping in forward gear for about a year before it lost all forward gears. I will say that it appears someone has been into it before, though. I have a feeling it was "rebuilt" by someone who didn't know/care what they were doing and it took a while for the remaining parts to fail, which hadn't previously failed. That's completely a guess on my part, though.
As to cost, if you do it yourself, which is a
job, if you're a competent mechanic and can read and follow directions, and a job if you've never done anything more complicated than your brakes before, will be $650 for the OEM overhaul (seal) kit plus whatever hard parts you need. Steels, which are not in the kit, are about $40 a piece and there are a lot of them. I wouldn't recommend an aftermarket kit, because the clutches in them are crap (based on what I'm seeing in mine - I know they are not OEM).You also need a rebuild (unit repair) manual - $40. I think this is why shops screw this up so often; without the manual, you have no way to know which function checks to make, whether or not the assembly has passed the check(s) and what dimensional checks to make. Not doing all this, you're wasting time even draining the pan, not to mention rebuilding the unit.
You need either one special service tool (Hagerty Snapress clutch spring compressor - $200) or at least a 1-ton arbor press with the four press tools needed to compress the spring retainers. You won't get the pistons out with these. The Snapress is my recommendation (you can build something equivalent, if you have the resources and are so inclined, just look at the tool and you'll see what you need to do), because the individual tools to use with a press (arbor, H-frame, etc) will be more than the Snapress.
So, best case, you're out $150 for ATF, $650 for the overhaul kit, $160 for the minimum number of steels in a pack (4), $200 for tooling - call it $1200 for a DIY job. And you'll know it was done right.
FWIW, I think you'll be able to get your money out of the Snapress; they used to be all over the place, but I struggled for days to find one. There are several for sale from several Chinese vendors (all in the same Hong Kong address), but they're more expensive than the Hagerty. I'd bet it would sell pretty quickly after you're done using it. There is also an "upgrade" for the tool, which is the tool without the operator frame, for half the price. If you have a press, this is all you need.
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Malleus
Far west of Siegen
Here's the "upgrade":
Malleus
Far west of Siegen
Hagerty Snapress:
Malleus
Far west of Siegen
PSA, there's also this POS:
which is more than a waste of money on a tool. The pressure fingers are too short and using it will deform the spring retainer (it's thin sheet metal) so you'll need a new one - which you won't be able to install without deforming because all you have is this POS "tool". Voice of experience; I tried using a similar short finger tool in my press. Disaster.
Compare the apparent length of these fingers to those in the Snapress. Those are the minimum length you need for damage free removal/installation. The OEM SST are ring tools which completely surround and support the spring retainer. They're best for that, but they're a pain the get inside with snap ring pliers or a screwdriver. That's where the Snapress excels.
which is more than a waste of money on a tool. The pressure fingers are too short and using it will deform the spring retainer (it's thin sheet metal) so you'll need a new one - which you won't be able to install without deforming because all you have is this POS "tool". Voice of experience; I tried using a similar short finger tool in my press. Disaster.
Compare the apparent length of these fingers to those in the Snapress. Those are the minimum length you need for damage free removal/installation. The OEM SST are ring tools which completely surround and support the spring retainer. They're best for that, but they're a pain the get inside with snap ring pliers or a screwdriver. That's where the Snapress excels.
Dude. This is perfect. Thank you so much for this. I'm decided then, I'll dig in. And, always love a good tool justification.I am going through my son's 2000 LX470 A343F now. The direct drive clutches are paper thin and the steels are scorched. Everything else looks OK. It had been slipping in forward gear for about a year before it lost all forward gears. I will say that it appears someone has been into it before, though. I have a feeling it was "rebuilt" by someone who didn't know/care what they were doing and it took a while for the remaining parts to fail, which hadn't previously failed. That's completely a guess on my part, though.
As to cost, if you do it yourself, which is a
You also need a rebuild (unit repair) manual - $40. I think this is why shops screw this up so often; without the manual, you have no way to know which function checks to make, whether or not the assembly has passed the check(s) and what dimensional checks to make. Not doing all this, you're wasting time even draining the pan, not to mention rebuilding the unit.
You need either one special service tool (Hagerty Snapress clutch spring compressor - $200) or at least a 1-ton arbor press with the four press tools needed to compress the spring retainers. You won't get the pistons out with these. The Snapress is my recommendation (you can build something equivalent, if you have the resources and are so inclined, just look at the tool and you'll see what you need to do), because the individual tools to use with a press (arbor, H-frame, etc) will be more than the Snapress.
So, best case, you're out $150 for ATF, $650 for the overhaul kit, $160 for the minimum number of steels in a pack (4), $200 for tooling - call it $1200 for a DIY job. And you'll know it was done right.
FWIW, I think you'll be able to get your money out of the Snapress; they used to be all over the place, but I struggled for days to find one. There are several for sale from several Chinese vendors (all in the same Hong Kong address), but they're more expensive than the Hagerty. I'd bet it would sell pretty quickly after you're done using it. There is also an "upgrade" for the tool, which is the tool without the operator frame, for half the price. If you have a press, this is all you need.
